How do you keep from getting bored with workouts

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lizalmp1234
lizalmp1234 Posts: 311 Member
in Fitness and Exercise
I wanted to know how do you keep yourself from getting bored with your workouts. Thanks in advance
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  • arditarose
    arditarose Posts: 15,573 Member
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    I don't get "bored" squatting a bunch of weight. I get pumped, nervous, humbled, and excited. I get a bit bored sitting on the stationary bike but I usually pick a few songs from the early 90s and imagine I'm the performer and everyone at the gym is like "whoa, I had NO IDEA you could sing like that".
  • ana3067
    ana3067 Posts: 5,623 Member
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    arditarose wrote: »
    I don't get "bored" squatting a bunch of weight. I get pumped, nervous, humbled, and excited. I get a bit bored sitting on the stationary bike but I usually pick a few songs from the early 90s and imagine I'm the performer and everyone at the gym is like "whoa, I had NO IDEA you could sing like that".

    LOL I kind of want to turn the gym into an episode of Glee or something then and have us all belt out while cardio-ing. I usually do other things while doing cardio, like internet (the cardio machines at my gym on campus have web browsers!!) or reading/studying.

    I also have the same reactions while lifting though. Sometimes I'll psych myself out and then feel pissed, then I own the next set and I'm like
    254351_original.png

    OP, choose exercises that you enjoy doing. Even when I'm doing cardio without the things I Mentioned above I'm not usually bored because I choose machines/exercises that I actually enjoy.
  • Reefboy1980
    Reefboy1980 Posts: 133 Member
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    You may have the wrong routine if your getting bored, for me what excites me & keeps me motivated is progression session by session whether it's increased weight or that extra rep.
    Cardio bores me though that's why I don't do it
  • lacroyx
    lacroyx Posts: 5,754 Member
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    Everything I do, I enjoy, thus I never get bored. Music helps too. I have a playlist but I also listen to online streaming music apps like Pandora and Fit Radio to discover new music.
  • cheshirecatastrophe
    cheshirecatastrophe Posts: 1,395 Member
    edited February 2015
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    Lots of strategies!

    -Change it up frequently
    -Join a sports league instead of pounding away at individual cardio/weights. People don't tend to describe e.g. roller derby as "boring"
    -Find what you like. Maybe you are the kind of person who loves spin classes? Maybe you're a runner? Maybe you like to mix up a lifting set with a couple of laps around the indoor track?
    -Some people do well watching TV or movies
    -I crave the ability to just turn off my brain, to "peace out" so to speak. Running lets me do that. I'm aware of time passing, but not in the same way as when I'm hyperfocusing on something (e.g. stationary bike...)
  • yusaku02
    yusaku02 Posts: 3,472 Member
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    by adding more weight ;)
  • LKArgh
    LKArgh Posts: 5,179 Member
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    Find something you enjoy and if it becomes boring, do not be afraid to try something new.
  • awesomejdad
    awesomejdad Posts: 493 Member
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    I look in the mirror. I see both my results and what I want to work on and then I keep doing my workouts.
  • dinger09
    dinger09 Posts: 5
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    how long have you been doing same work out. there is a saying if its working don't change it. but if your fed up doing same thing day in day out you have to change it plenty of different exercise to do same body part so just mix it up a bit and see how you get on.
  • imabeevampire
    imabeevampire Posts: 166 Member
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    do something new, i get bored doing the 30 day shred, take a week off, do something i enjoy, i love running so do that often and swimming
  • Foamroller
    Foamroller Posts: 1,041 Member
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    You're maybe bored cause doing stuff that's too easy for you. Challenge yourself, just outside your comfort zone. Variation, try new things regularly and it never gets boring. Good playlists works wonders too.
  • amusedmonkey
    amusedmonkey Posts: 10,330 Member
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    Keep exploring until you find something that doesn't bore you. I get bored to tears doing 10 minutes of strength training, it feels like an eternity, but running on the treadmill with a good audiobook feels like a blip. I love reading, so I combined that with my routine (through audiobooks) and it transformed the entire routine. What do you like doing? Do you like dancing? Pick up dance workouts. Do you like nature? Go hiking. Do you like competition? Do tennis. Do you like to get down and dirty? Do mud races. etc. Unless the only thing you like is sleeping, you will eventually find something that is fun.
  • MKEgal
    MKEgal Posts: 3,250 Member
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    During weightlifting, I try to remember the names of the muscles I'm using, the insertion point, etc. Also, focus on form.
    For cardio, my gym has lots of TV stations. Plug the earbuds into the machine & I'm distracted. Or in nicer weather, walk outside with a friend. Much nicer.
  • yesimpson
    yesimpson Posts: 1,372 Member
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    I found things I enjoy (running and going to the gym), and I make sure I have structure and variety.

    I do one long slow run a week, one interval/speed session, and two gym sessions: one where I do exercises with weights for my upper body + cardio (cross trainer, rower, stepper, bike) and one for the lower body. I make sure I have good music on my iPod, that I try and introduce new exercises or variations every few weeks to keep myself challenged, and if I'm really feeling unenthusiastic, I treat myself to new gym clothes or I arrange to meet a friend afterwards for lunch - that gets me there and I never regret going and working hard once I'm there.
  • sheldonklein
    sheldonklein Posts: 854 Member
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    I suspect your question is focused on cardio machines. If so, the answer is nothing. It is inherently boring, like brushing your teeth for 30 minutes. Listening or watching something might distract me, but I'm still focused on the readout--how much time is left, how many calories have I burned, when is the next interval. Unlike, say running outdoors, my mind never leaves the readout for more than a minute, if that.
  • djmp21
    djmp21 Posts: 7 Member
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    just the thought of beating my previous lift excites me, one of the huge benefits of always writing down what you lift. has definitely improved my motivation and my fitness in general.
    also try to remember everyday you're training for tomorrow. you're efforts today will show in 3, 6 and 9 months time when you look amazing and are fitter than you've ever been.
  • earlnabby
    earlnabby Posts: 8,171 Member
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    I swim laps for an hour for my workouts. I have a waterproof IPod and listen to tunes or sometimes an audiobook. I will sometimes do split times, etc and concentrating on speed and the timer keeps me from getting too bored.
  • Timorous_Beastie
    Timorous_Beastie Posts: 595 Member
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    There's times exercise isn't fun or exciting, but I don't expect everything to be. It's like asking, "How do you keep from getting bored while vacuuming, or doing laundry, or paying bills?"

    It's something I have to get done. So I do it. Good music helps.
  • darrensurrey
    darrensurrey Posts: 3,942 Member
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    Don't do workouts that bore you. I used to do HIIT etc but it's all tedious really and you try to do stuff to distract yourself from the boredom. Nowadays I do sports and train to improve so I have a passion for what I'm doing. If you enjoy a particular class eg Zumba, then do more of that.
  • Capt_Apollo
    Capt_Apollo Posts: 9,026 Member
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    i don't know what kind of workouts you're doing. i'm a cardio bunny, so i try to keep workouts varied by choosing new routes to go on runs, changing playlists, and even running without music and just listening to the world around me.

    if i'm doing indoor cardio i keep my tv and movies interesting and try not to watch something i've seen already.

    like Timorous said, it can't always be fun and exciting though. sometimes you have to go out and just do it.

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